CHICO &GT;&GT; On any given day during the summer, Chico firefighters are packing their gear and heading out of town.

For decades, the Chico Fire Department, as well as other California fire agencies, have agreed to assist one another when there's a need for resources to contain wildland fires.

California realized it had a major fire problem in the 1950s when people began living in rural areas and the fire agencies knew that no one could go at it alone, Chico fire interim Chief Shane Lauderdale said.

Through legislation, fire departments began participating in a localized mutual aid plan that among other things mandated that all agencies have compatible equipment.

There's also the California Fire Assistance Agreement (CFFA), a contract Cal Fire, the U.S. Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management and other wildland fire agencies entered with the state's Office of Emergency Services, which represents the California government departments.

California is the only place where "I can go out there, key my radio and request 1,000 engines and see them in 12 hours," Lauderdale said. "It's a pretty amazing system."

Chico hasn't had the need to request resources on that scale recently, but the agreement has resulted in the city adding money to its general fund.

Chico received $749,640 in state and federal reimbursements for mutual aid assistance between July 1, 2013 and June 30, according to Chico's accounting manager Frank Fields.

Under CFFA, Chico will be reimbursed all the expenses related to the fire personnel needed, plus an administrative fee of 10 percent and the daily rate for vehicles used, Lauderdale explained. If Chico sends out a fire engine with three people, the city will be reimbursed for time and a half for the employees working or the people working behind those people.

According to the agreement, reimbursement begin after the 12th hour and there will be no reimbursement for responses less than that. If it exceeds 12 hours, the agency will be reimbursed for its entire time of commitment.

There is no charge under the master mutual aid plan, but it has parameters, Lauderdale said. Chico firefighters will commit for 24 hours of assistance, but the requesting agency must take care of food and logistical needs.

Lauderdale, who in 2008 spent 31 days working in Shasta County, said mutual aid is beneficial for myriad reasons.

"We understand that at any one time our community is going to be the one asking for that help," he said.

During the summer, it is common for the Chico Fire Department to send engines to San Diego and vice versa, Lauderdale said.

There are systems in place to track a fire department's equipment and qualifications of its employees, so when a fire agency requests specific equipment and fire personnel, it can be easily determined who can respond.

The interim chief encourages his personnel to train and become certified to be able to respond to mutual aid calls.

The Chico Fire Department probably has more people participating in mutual aid than other jurisdictions because of the department's reputation, Lauderdale said. There are even people who are requested by name, such as Division Chief Aaron Lowe, who is certified as a logistics section chief.

Approximately 50 Chico fire employees have the specialized training and certifications to participate.

"The (hands-ons) experience and training that they get is second to none," Lauderdale said.

Chico fire Capt. J.P. Gassiot and Division Chief Bill Hack were among the 12 Chico fire employees who responded recently to the Bully Fire, which has burned more than 12,600 acres near Redding.

Gassiot, who served as a fireline EMT, said it's a mutually beneficial relationship.

During big incidents, a fire agency needs support and outside firefighters get the opportunity to train in the areas they don't typically see in their communities, he said. People learn, observe and pick up on techniques they can use in their jurisdictions.

For Hack and Lauderdale, it gives them an insight on how to manage large-scale incidents and how costs are determined and how they impact the community, they said.

Lauderdale ensures that providing mutual aid doesn't leave the city with a shortage of firefighters, he said. Before every fire season, the department assess how many employees it has.